Caldwell 74 — Planetary Nebula in Vela
NGC 3132
About Eight Burst Nebula
Description
The Eight-Burst Nebula (NGC 3132) is a bright planetary nebula in Vela, about 2,000 light-years away. Also called the Southern Ring Nebula, it spans about 1 arcminute and displays a complex, multi-layered shell structure. It was one of the first targets of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Observing Tips
A fine southern planetary nebula, visible in a 4-inch telescope as a bright, slightly elongated disk. An 8-inch scope at 150x+ shows the ring structure. The central star is actually the fainter of a close pair. Best in spring from southern locations.
History
Discovered by John Herschel in the 1830s from South Africa. JWST's 2022 images revealed at least two previously unknown concentric shells and confirmed the binary nature of the central star system.
Fun Facts
JWST's first deep image of NGC 3132 revealed that the nebula was sculpted by at least two stars, with the dimmer companion responsible for most of the mass ejection. The brighter central star is actually a companion that did not create the nebula.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Easy | Medium+ | Medium+ |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Easy | Easy | Easy |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
With O-III filter
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Easy | Easy | Easy |
3Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
4
Filter Response Guide
5
Eyepiece View
Eight Burst Nebula · 0.5′ · N up, E left
6
Best Magnification
Explore
7
Central Star
8
Surface Brightness
Discover
9
Light Travel Time Machine
10
Relativistic Travel
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Image: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (a U.S. federal government agency; https://www.nasa.gov/) European space agency (https://www.esa.int/), Canadian Space Agency (https://www.asc-c.... License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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